Preparation and Applications of Organo-Silica Hybrid Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for the Co-Delivery of Drugs and Nucleic Acids

Abstract

Combination therapies rely on the administration of more than one drug, with independent mechanisms of action, aiming to enhance the efficiency of the treatment. For an optimal performance, the implementation of such therapies requires the delivery of the correct combination of drugs to a specific cellular target. In this context, the use of nanoparticles (NP) as platforms for the co-delivery of multiple drugs is considered a highly promising strategy. In particular, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) have emerged as versatile building blocks to devise complex drug delivery systems (DDS). This review describes the design, synthesis, and application of MSNs to the delivery of multiple drugs including nucleic acids for combination therapies.

Cancer nanotechnology: current status and perspectives

“…Co-delivery of synergistic drugs within a single carrier can greatly improve synergistic potential as complementary action can occur in a coordinated fashion [ 30 ]. Nanomaterials such as lipid-based, polymeric, inorganic, carbon-based, biomacromolecular, and hydrogel can properly formulate multiple therapeutics with highly different chemical properties [ 58 – 61 ]. Multiple drugs may be engineered to be released simultaneously or in specific sequence depending on kinetics and mechanism of action, with drug release occuring through degradation of the carrier, drug desorption, diffusion through the nanoparticle matrix, or by triggered release [ 62 , 63 ].…”

Recent Advances in Nanoparticle-Based Co-Delivery Systems for Cancer Therapy

“…Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) are alternative key inorganic-based nanoparticles used in co-delivery. MSNs are optimal models for loading significant amounts of chemotherapeutic agents and pairing other components on the surface because of their high surface area to volume ratio and vast aperture volume [ 13 , 42 , 43 ]. The latter characteristics allow MSNs to be used in several cancer treatments.…”

Application of Non-Viral Vectors in Drug Delivery and Gene Therapy

“…The open pores of MSNs are ideal reservoirs for drugs, which adversely trigger a premature release of drugs before reach the target [ 266 ]. A simple way to minimize the leakage is the attachment of the drugs through a cleavable bond onto the inner surface of the particle [ 273 ]. Wong et al connected doxorubicin (DOX) and zinc(II) phthalocyanine (ZnPc) to form a DOX-ZnPC complex using an acid cleavable hydrazone linker, and the resulted delivery system achieved drug release under acidic conditions [ 274 ].…”

“…Wong et al connected doxorubicin (DOX) and zinc(II) phthalocyanine (ZnPc) to form a DOX-ZnPC complex using an acid cleavable hydrazone linker, and the resulted delivery system achieved drug release under acidic conditions [ 274 ]. Another method involved loading one drug inside the pores and attaching another drug at the outlet of the pores [ 273 ]. Willner et al loaded the anticancer drug mitoxantrone into boric acid modified MSNs, the pores were capped with gossypol, then the capping units unlocked the pores and the drug is released under mild acidic conditions [ 275 ].…”